Demons of Amestris
by MoonPrincess919
Summary: Hazuki had pulled Kendra from her house for a party to get the depressed writer away from home. They weren't expecting to be pulled into another world, let alone as creatures that shouldn't exist in it! Then again, it's not like you can deny a god. Follow these two friends as they journey through Amestris to find one another and do as Truth told them: "Mix things up."
1. Chapter 1

_White consumed her vision, crushing her with anxiety. Boiling blood raced through her veins, shaking her agonized form. Every time she tried to stand, unstable legs would pull her back to the ground. There was an itchy sensation under her nails that she couldn't relieve no matter how hard she tried. All her teeth hurt - especially her canines._

 _Her breathing was ragged as she tried to remember how she had gotten here._ Walking with someone. A flash of lightning. Screaming. Then nothing.

 _She glanced around, hoping to spot whoever that other person had been. Fear raced through her as she realized she was alone. That person had been important to her somehow. Now, there was no trace of them._

' _Don't worry. You'll see her eventually.' A strange voice echoed around her._

 _Then a white figure outlined in waving black shadows faded into place before her. He was sitting casually, arm draped over a knee with a smile on his face._

" _Who are you? Why can't I remember anything?" Her voice was raspy from lack of use. Hadn't she just been talking to someone though?_

 _Brown curls danced in her peripheral vision. Only then did she notice them slowly growing and bleeding into a snowy white. Panic began to overwhelm her as a realization dawned on her._

 _She was changing._

 _Into what, she couldn't tell yet. But if the power washing through her was anything to go by, it wasn't human._

" _Why are you doing this to me? Where is the one I was walking with?" This time her questions were delivered with more anger. This_ being _seemed to find pleasure in her confusion._

 _Finally, he chuckled before smiling. 'I am known as Truth. You're here to change things up a bit.'_

 _Her ire faded, genuine curiosity getting the better of her. "What do you mean?"_

' _You'll see in time. Your memories should return once you awaken on the other side.'_ Other side? Of what? _Her confusion only grew with each passing second._

 _The sound of metal doors opening sounded behind her and she turned in shock. It had appeared while she was distracted by Truth's confusing words._

' _Now it's time to take the stage, and spice up the story.'_

 _With that last sentence, she was grabbed by hundreds of tiny, black hands and pulled into the void._

* * *

"Ugh." She groaned in pain, slowly lifting her head. It was pounding with all the memories that had come rushing back and the knowledge that damned Gate had pushed into it. The roaring voice in the back of her mind didn't help either.

Looking at the sight before her, she gasped.

A waxing crescent hung in the sky, gently shining down on her. Clouds were scattered across the starry night, darkening it even more. Snow covered everything, from the mountain peak she sat a few meters down from, to the plain that extended from the valley below. Despite the darkness, she could see everything clearly as though it were still daytime.

As curiosity overwhelmed her, she rose to her feet. Only then did she realize that her feet were _paws_ and that she was on _all fours._ Quickly spotting pools of ice scattered here and there, she ran to the nearest one.

There, staring back from her reflection, was an unnaturally large, white wolf pup with teal eyes. They widened in slight shock. Of all the things he could've changed her into, it had to be this! Her species didn't even belong to the natural order of this world!

She had no markings of any kind which she silently thanked Truth for. They would've given away her new nature and made her a target for scientists.

' _ **It is best you try to regain human form.'**_ She jumped at the voice before recognizing what it was. It confirmed her suspicions about the transformation.

Taking a deep breath, the pup closed her eyes and focused on the energy lying dormant within her. It flared with a wild storm of white, engulfing her in its tempest. She tried to imagine her human appearance as the rush of power morphed her form to stand tall on two legs.

The white power receded but she was afraid to look.

Finally, she took a chance. What she saw shocked her again.

Thankfully, she was still wearing the outfit from her most recent memory of the other side. A soft blue-to-white ombre top with a choker sewn into it and a v-neckline cut-out that stopped just past her cleavage. The black frills of her skirt gently hugged her hips, hanging just below her knees. Finally, short white ankle boots added a couple inches to her five-foot-six height.

The fur of her tail brushed the bends of her arms, drawing her attention. She traced it with curious eyes to where it protruded from the small of her back. Fascinated by the mass, she tried moving it. It wrapped around her waist and she silently cheered in success.

Her skin was still the same shade of tan it had been before crossing. But what were once teal pools of shock had darkened to fuchsia; both replacing her once dark chocolate orbs. Her shoulder-length brown curls were now snow white waves that cascaded down to her new tail. Raking her hands through it, she sighed in bliss at the softness of them. If only her normal hair had been this domesticated.

Then a thought crossed her mind and she cursed Truth for doing this.

It was bad enough that he'd taken her humanity, but now he had condemned her to the harsh racism this country was known for; the very ignorance that caused heavy tensions and triggered a civil war in this world and many more in her own.

She sighed before turning from the ice pool. Only then did she realize that she wasn't cold. Considering her outfit, she should be, but it didn't bother her.

Looking around again, she realized with a start there was no sign of human life. Based on her geographical surroundings, this was where Fort Briggs would one day stand.

 _This is going to be a long wait._

With a swish of blizzard winds, the wolf slowly ascended to build a home in the mountainside.

* * *

Many long centuries came and left as she watched three times as many civilizations rise and fall. It was a never-ending cycle of life and death usually surrounded by a war of some kind.

Occasionally, she would descend from her mountain home to assess the growth of humanity and determine if it was time to act. She would mingle with a few people, reacquaint herself with the languages every now and then.

From the cobblestone roads and more apartment-like buildings starting to appear, she deemed it to be in the next few decades. In realizing this, she placed a barrier around her home to keep it hidden. She returned to humanity as an adolescent wolf.

Despite the centuries she'd lived through, by her new, no, by her kind's standards, she was still young. It was almost overwhelming how her perception of time had changed, but spending the next few decades among humanity would change that.

So she wandered. Her powers had taken some getting used to - going from human to _this_ was certainly inconvenient. But now she could control her size as well as her how prominent her beast was.

* * *

Every now and then, she would settle with a family and become their pet. It was a little demeaning, but in the end, she found it enjoyable and well worth the minor humiliations. When they passed or their children left to pursue their own paths, she too would leave.

Finally, when she reached the desert towns of Ishval, she walked among them as human. She used her hair to hide her pointed ears and didn't smile much because of her fangs. To them, she was a young girl who had fallen and tragically lost her memories. So they taught her everything.

It wasn't long before she was maintaining two personas at once. The poor girl who'd suffered amnesia but was eager to "relearn" everything about her heritage, and the girl who had lost her humanity and wished to get it back.

About seventeen years after they'd taken her in, Ishval assimilated with Amestris. Of course, it was only a meager two years later that civil war broke out.

The girl had wanted so desperately to stop the wretched homunculus from shooting that innocent child. But she had been distracted by her readings, learning about alchemy and alkahestry. She mourned with the girl's family as they'd been her hosts but knew it was for the best.

If she were to change this, nothing in the near future would happen. Her plans to change some of the outcomes were slowly being put in motion. Soon, it would be time to leave.

* * *

One night a few years later, as the battles raged on, the white-haired girl turned back into a wolf and left in the night. She would become a pet once more, but this time, she had a purpose. Hopefully, it would be enough.

* * *

Twin rubies flickered open as a woman awoke in the sands near Liore. She held a hand to her head, memories of the Gate and the person she'd been walking with flooding her mind. Whatever that thing was, it had taken something from her. What _that_ was, she wasn't sure yet.

All she knew was that her best friend was somewhere in this world most likely suffering more than she was.

Glancing around, she discovered that she was in a desert. Screaming and yelling topped with the scent of blood and death a few miles out made her cringe. _Definitely not going_ that _way._ She stood, tilting her head up a little to take in more of her surroundings. Then she froze. _Wait...what?_

Realizing what she just did made her cringe. She only knew of one thing that tilted their head to scent the air and listen for life. Her eye twitched in aggravation. That damned creature or god or _whatever_ had taken half her humanity!

Now that she thought about it, the dark-skinned girl faintly recognized the figure from her best friend's favorite anime and she groaned. They'd been taken together but got separated somehow.

The girl paused again. _That's right. This world has a law called Equivalent Exchange..._

If half of her humanity had been taken, what did it take from her best friend? That writer knew a lot more about this world than she did. _Maybe that's why only half was taken._ If that was true-.

"Ugh. I hate this!" This whole Equivalent Exchange thing was giving her a headache. Brushing that aside, the half-human girl refocused on the task at hand. She would have to find her friend somehow. Given the basic she knew, crap would hit the fan sometime soon.

' _Go mix things up a little.'_ That supposed God had told her to change things, but her friend came first. Praying for the writer's safety, she set off.

The petite girl briefly noted the heat didn't bother her at all. Glancing down as she ran, twin rubies found her outfit was the same from her last memory.

The skin-tight, navy blue fabric of her dress hugged her dark curves. The v-shaped neckline dipping just past her cleavage. Black boots rose to mid-calf with silver, stick heels boosting her five inches.

A mischievous glint entered her eyes when she remembered the reason for her outfit. She sighed. They definitely weren't getting there anytime soon.

Turning her thoughts back to her friend, she decided to avoid trains - and crowds altogether. The last thing she needed was a panicking group of people. Especially with her new senses.

Just thinking about it made her wince.

Then she remembered the last thing she'd seen of this world before getting sucked into it. A small fang peeked out of her smirking lips as she decided to find Dublith.

* * *

"Yay! Daddy look! Princess has ribbons now!" The toddler was truly precious but sometimes she went a bit too far.

A dark-haired man glanced up from his paperwork and gave the white wolf a pitying look. She had an innumerable amount of various colored ribbons tied into her fur. With a chuckle, he put his papers on the table and pat his daughter on the head.

"She looks beautiful sweetie." The little girl beamed and ran off as her mother called for bedtime. The man turned his green eyes back to the irritated wolf and chuckled again. "Princess," teal eyes looked up at him, "come here."

She complied and internally sighed in relief as the man slowly started to remove the ribbons.

"Elicia means well, she's just excited to have a pet." Teal eyes met green covered by square glasses in understanding. The girl was still young so it was expected. Even after all this time, having rough hands in her fur still irked the poor wolf to no end.

She rumbled a growl of content, laying her head in his lap as he continued.

The man before her had recently returned from the War of Execution and often suffered from PTSD induced nightmares. She often found him in the kitchen with a cup of coffee. He never said anything about her always being awake when he was there, but the silent comfort he took in her presence was enough.

* * *

She'd been in Dublith for a few years now. It had been difficult to find this place while keeping her panther ears hidden. Traveling at night was easier because her dark skin and hair helped her blend in. Staying out of sight during the day was a pain though.

Upon first arriving, a group of thugs had tried to kidnap her. They learned quickly not to mess with her as she clawed their eyes out and broke their ribs. Really. They should've known better than to attack a panther.

That was how Martel found her.

 _A few of the wilder regulars laying in their own blood with her shaking her hands in disgust. If they weren't so disgusting, the panther would revel in licking her victims' blood. But the vulgarity ran in their veins and it was too repulsive for her to stomach._

" _Ah, there goes a few of our regulars." The snake chimera sighed before turning her attention back to the woman who'd killed them. "Oi!"_

 _Red eyes met green with indifference as the dark woman paused. "They were going to rape me, so I defended myself. Not my fault they challenged a panther."_

 _Then the woman tilted her head slightly. Her eyes widened as she slowly walked toward the chimera woman. Memories of who the woman was made her smile._

 _Martel for her part was unnerved. This woman was obviously dangerous; maybe even as dangerous as Greed. Her hand carefully inched toward the dagger sheathed on her shoulder but her wrist was caught in a strong clawed hand._

" _I won't do anything if you don't," the panther's eyes flashed yellow with anger, "okay?"_

 _The ex-soldier nodded warily._

 _Before the woman could ask another question, Greed peeked out. "Martel, did you find out what that racket was?"_

 _When he noticed the woman holding Martel's wrist, he smirked. Sauntering over he cracked his usual cocky grin. The homunculus was a bit put off by the woman's lack of response but he continued anyway._

" _Who's this? What's a pretty thing like you doing out here?" Only then did he noticed her blood-soaked claws. "So you're the one who killed these guys."_

" _Yeah." Greed smirked. He asked her to come inside. With a bit of sweet talking, he convinced her to stay with him._

Even after all these years, the avaricious homunculus hadn't figured out why his charms didn't work on her. The fool didn't realize she wasn't attracted to men.

The panther sighed. Despite that, everyone had been kind to her. When they told her their stories - how they'd been turned into chimera - the petite girl had reluctantly shared her story.

To say they were surprised was an understatement. Everyone had pretty much the same reaction, but Greed had gone silent. There was a malicious smirk on his face and she knew he was planning something.

"Hey, Hazuki." Rubies caught him with a scrutinizing gaze. "Why don't you help me take over the world?"

Hazuki snorted. "Yeah, no. I need to find Kendra."

"Right." He seemed to deflate for a moment before brightening again. "Once we find her you'll help me then."

It wasn't a question. The young panther just rolled her eyes and nodded. No point in trying to argue. He'd be dead in the next few years anyway; along with everyone in this room.

* * *

Gracia and Elicia were out shopping, their furry friend trailing close behind. The young girl would be turning three later this year. Which meant the Hughes' family would soon meet the Elric brothers.

"Princess!" Elicia was smiling happily with a pink collar in her little hands. "I found this for you!"

 _Oh, boy. Well, it's not the first time._ The snowy wolf sat down and waited. Once the buckle was snuggly in place, she wagged her tail slightly.

Despite living with so many human families before, she had never felt a bond like this. Finally, after all these years, she could truly say she had found a pack on this side of the Gate. It would take a little work, but she _would_ keep her pack whole.

Spring slowly turned to summer and Hazuki came to a realization. She didn't want anyone in the Devil's Nest to die.

They'd taken great care of her since she arrived, becoming a kind of family that made her miss Kendra. She knew if the brunette were here, she'd encourage the plan forming in the panther's mind. They were sent here to change things after all.

Almost everything was ready. All she needed now was to wait for the armored soul to be brought here. It would be difficult, but she wasn't about to back down from a challenge.

That was one of the things she and Kendra had in common. Taking on a challenge full force.

Hazuki smirked.

Once she ensured everyone's safety, her claws would be dipping into the conspiracy behind the scenes. Knowing her friend, doing so would eventually lead them together.

It was only a matter of time now.


	2. Chapter 2

A few years had passed since she had officially become part of the Hughes family. She spent most of her days listening and waiting for her cue. Eventually, she started taking walks around the neighborhood to listen for any signs of what she knew to come.

Princess hated to worry little Elicia, but she always returned a few hours before sunset.

These little walks also gave her time to reminisce. She missed Hazuki and their friend group so much it was almost physically painful. They had become a family away from home for her. It was nice to be a part of such an accepting group. Especially when they're just as otaku as you are.

She chuckled at that. Their love for anime is what brought them together. However, as time went on, it wasn't the only thing. Most of them were in AP classes together. If they didn't have the same hour it was usually the same teacher. Some had even joined sports and often rooted for each other during games and meets.

Then there were dances.

The wolf's sophomore homecoming was something she'd never forget. All who could afford to go met up at the dance and hung out. They spent all that time dancing, talking, and just enjoying one another's company. Then, a few of them had gone to a restaurant for breakfast after the dance. Eating and hanging out like that till one in the morning was fun.

She sighed and shook her mind clear of the memories. There would be time for that later. Right now, she had a mission.

Today, it was raining as she padded down the street. It reminded her of when the Elrics got attacked. An explosion sounded a few streets down and her eyes widened in realization.

In a blur of speed, she raced down the street, following the sounds of battle. Unfortunately, it took longer than she thought it would. By the time the wolf arrived, Ed was laying in the street with one arm.

"Brother! Get up!" Her eyes widened in realization. _Ed must've already asked for Al's life in exchange for his own._ "Brother, you need to run!"

Enraged, she barked to get Scar's attention before launching herself forward. Her fangs extended as she bit into his unmarked arm, bringing some of her power to the surface. He tried to pull her off, but the freezing sensation spreading through his arm was making it difficult. It raced through his veins and his movements began to slow. The wolf scented his panic and fear, smiling to herself because of it. When Princess released him, he tried to attack her for the damage but a gunshot drew their attention.

"That's enough!" All four turned to face the Flame Alchemist and his subordinates. They were standing in a line, guns up and aimed at their attacker. The scent of determination brought the wolf to her feet. "I'll be taking you into custody, Scar, for the death of at least ten state alchemists."

"Alchemists pervert things from their natural form and turn them into grotesque things; destroying God's image." Scar stood to his full height and faced the people he was addressing. "As an agent of God, I've come to pass his judgment on those. If you interfere, you will meet death."

With a cocky smirk on his face, the colonel passed his gun to Riza, taunting the murderer. Unfortunately, he forgot what rain did to his gloves - rendered them useless. Hawkeye didn't forget though. She tripped him right as Scar lunged forward, saving him from death. Everyone else began to shoot at the scarred man. He leaped backward to avoid the onslaught only to jump back again from a spiky gloved punch.

Major Armstrong complimented his speed and engaged him in battle.

* * *

Panther ears twitched as her power flared. Twin rubies briefly flashed gold as she stood from her chair and walked outside.

Something was happening.

The scent of rain blowing from the north sent her mind reeling. She'd only seen the anime once so her memories were a bit scattered. If she could just…

 _A gunshot echoed through the air as a military squadron aimed at a tan-skinned man wearing glasses._

That was it! _Which means they'll be here in a few weeks._ Hazuki could only hope Kendra was there somewhere. The brunette hated what happened in the Elrics' absence from Central. It was a tragedy that brought even the most stoic of their friends to tears.

The panther could only hope she would see her friend soon. This world was already changing her. Most of the changes didn't bother her. But-

Hazuki's fists clenched in determination. There was no time to think about that. Soon, her plans would be forced into action. She _would_ be ready.

* * *

Riza ran over to the Elric brothers, confused by the wolf's protective stance in front of them. It growled before sitting down upon recognizing the woman. _Good, they're safe._ A few more soldiers rushed over to give the boy a hand as Scar continued to fight.

"Who is he," Ed asked as Havoc helped him sit up.

"That's the man who murdered Mr. Tucker and Nina." The blonde teen gasped in shock before his attention returned to the battle. Armstrong had transmuted spikes in the street only for Scar to destroy them. "Hey, watch it major! Don't destroy the city now!"

The burly man merely gave Havoc a haughty look. "What do you mean?"

His shirt ripped as he dove into an explanation of creation and destruction being naturally opposing forces. Hawkeye and the others stared at him in consternation, not unused to the man's antics.

Princess watched in awe as the people she'd seen so many times slowly appeared before her one by one. Until now, she hadn't realized just how _real_ these people were - how _real_ her changes were. It was a bit comical really. She'd lived through so many centuries, and yet it still hadn't sunk in.

Staring at the sky, she hoped for enough power to protect the Hughes family and find her best friend. Hopefully, Hazuki didn't have to wait as long as she had. She was impatient, but her best friend took it to a different level.

When the rain finally eased up, Scar had escaped. The discovery of his alchemy use and Ishvalan heritage shook many soldiers to the core. They now understood his reason for targeting state alchemists.

"Sorry Armstrong, but thank you for buying us some time."

"It was all I could do to keep myself from being killed, Colonel." Princess walked toward the shattered armor and set her head on the remainder of his lap. She knew her owner would be here soon.

"Hey, is it over now?"

The two commanding alchemists turned to the investigations officer in annoyance. "Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, where have you been?"

"I thought it best to lay low."

"You didn't think about _maybe_ backing us up?" The wolf rumbled a chuckle at the Flame Alchemist's response.

"Of course not! Getting into a fight with you people is bad for my health!" Hughes turned to his subordinates. "Don't just stand there, we've got things to do!"

"Sir!" They set about organizing a search party and circulating Scar's description.

Ed rushed to his broken brother's side, unaware of the wolf staring at him. "Al, talk to me, are you alright?"

The wolf picked up the low conversations of the adults not far off. _This is when the others they work with are let in on the secret._ She watched curiously as everyone jumped in surprise when the armored soul punched his brother and started yelling at him.

"Why didn't you run away when I told you to? What kind of idiot are you!"

"No way," Ed returned as he sat up. "I'm not just going to run away and leave you behind!"

"That's exactly why you're an idiot!" Al punched his brother again.

"What do you keep punching me like that for!" He held his cheek trying to ease the ache forming. "If I'd run away you could've been killed, you know that!"

"And maybe I wouldn't have been." Ed stared at Al in disbelief as he continued. "Making the decision to die is only something an idiot does."

"Hey! Easy on the 'idiot' stuff, I'm still your older brother!"

"I'll say it all I want to!" Al grabbed his brother by the collar and pulled him forward. "Survival is the only way, Ed. Live on. Learn more about alchemy. Find a way to get our bodies back and help people like Nina. You can't do that by dying! I won't let you throw your life away like that!"

Suddenly, the arm holding his brother fell off, making the wolf yelp and jump back in surprise.

"Oh great! And now my arm's come off because my brother's a big, fat idiot!"

"We're falling apart, aren't we brother." Ed looked down at his lap in acceptance. "We look like we belong in a junkyard."

She gave a low bark to get their attention and licked each of their faces. The two brothers blinked and stared at her bewildered. She pushed her nose under the leather glove of Al's armor. It took him a moment to realize she wanted him to pet her. Princess barked in delight and her tail wagged as she turned to Edward. He smiled tiredly at her.

This was her way of telling them they would be okay. She knew they would be a little worse for wear for a while. No doubt they would be getting lectures when they finally returned to Resembool. She chuckled. Too bad she couldn't go with them to see that.

"Good grief, I've stumbled into an extra special freakshow, huh?" The wolf perked up at the sound of his voice and removed herself from Al's lap. She trudged over to Maes and Roy, sitting down between them.

The alchemist gave Hughes an apologetic look. "Yeah, sorry."

"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone upstairs." She barked to get his attention, amusement dancing in her teal eyes as he stared at her in shock. "What're you doing here?"

"You know this dog?"

"Yeah, she's my dog." Princess barked again and Hughes crouched down to pet her. However, he failed to notice the ring of fuchsia around her pupils. "Why are you out here by yourself?"

"She raced in and bit Scar before he could reach Fullmetal," the Colonel relayed, still a bit bewildered that it was his friend's dog. "He couldn't get her off."

"What?" Green met coal in shock before turning back to the wolf in front of him. Hughes began to wonder just how the dog had known to protect Edward. He had always seen intelligence in those teal eyes, but he never thought something like this would happen.

* * *

There's been a strange sense of foreboding hanging over her lately. With every passing week, it grew heavier on her. Time was slowly creeping up on her. She didn't like it. Not one bit.

"Hey." She jumped from her seat at the bar and turned to Greed. "What's got ya down, Hazuki?"

The dark-skinned beauty sighed. "I have a feeling something bad will happen soon."

"Oh?" He laughed a little, "I think we'll manage fine."

 _If only it were that simple._ But it was never simple where homunculi were involved. Or so Kendra had often told her. She could only hope her plan would work.

* * *

Princess followed Maes to headquarters and listened patiently as Mustang explained the Ishvalan War to the brothers. Needless to say, they were outraged when he made a side comment of justification for vengeance. But all vowed to be careful and fight with everything they had the next time Scar appeared.

Hughes turned to the broken boys. "Well Ed, Al. What's your plan now?"

"We're going to keep moving." He placed a hand on the armor's shoulder. "We have to get my arm back so I can fix you up. After all, I'm the only one who can do it."

Everyone smiled at two. Those brothers would be okay.

* * *

The wolf hung her head in shame as she and Hughes walked home, knowing Gracia would probably scold her for wandering. However, when they got there, the woman merely sighed in relief with a warning not to walk so far from the neighborhood next time. After all, she'd been wandering when they first found her.

Surprisingly, the lieutenant colonel never specified where he found her. The wolf was thankful for his silence but knew he would eventually have questions.

That night, Princess awoke with the urge to transform. Knowing everyone else was asleep for now, she did just that. The familiar tempest of chilling white spread through her as she stood tall. As it dissipated, the wolf stretched her limbs.

She'd been walking around as a canine for almost five years straight. Not getting to change for so long had taken a toll on her. Her beast was more placated, but the necessity of it had stiffened her muscles.

Moonlight shone through the living room window and fuschia looked up. As a being of the night, she was drawn to its light. The longer she stared, the more her urge to run and hunt grew. Heeding it, she quietly opened the window and leaped out. Princess relished in the wind rushing through her hair as the humid heat of night gave way to a slight chill from speed. The way it rushed through her snowy waves brought a smile to her face. She darted across rooftops and slid between alleys until she finally reached a forest.

Tilting her head to the wind, she sniffed for her prey. The scent of wild boar reached her senses. She smiled wickedly and quietly raced toward it. Once found, Princess made short work of it using her claws. It hadn't had a chance.

* * *

Princess smiled as she leaped back toward the city. Her hunt had been successful and she'd feasted on quite a few wild boars, leaving naught but their bones behind. The nutrients she gained helped to ease her muscles.

 _I need to stretch more in the coming weeks._ For her plan to work, she'd need this form fully functional. The last thing she needed was a flaw because of malnourishment.

As she reached the city limits of Central once more, she turned back into a wolf. Princess silently slipped through the open window to find Maes sipping a cup of coffee in the kitchen. Her claws clicked against the wooden floor as she approached, having closed the glass just moments before, and sat at his side as she had done for the last few years.

He sipped rather loudly before placing his mug on the table.

"You really helped the Elrics today." She glanced up at him in silence, urging him to continue. "According to Gracia you always wander around the neighborhood in the afternoons before I come home. Guess I shouldn't really be surprised."

There was something in his eyes, something she had seen before, but what was it? It was gone before she could figure it out.

"Wait." He looked at her inquisitively, finally noticing something different about her eyes. Leaning closer, he inspected her eyes shocked by the ring of fuchsia bleeding from her pupil into her iris. "When did that happen?"

" _ **Earlier."**_ Hughes jumped at the voice, looking around but spotting no one else present. He thought maybe it came from his dog, but he brushed it off. That was ridiculous. Or was it?

"I must be tired." He sighed and stood up to wash his cup. As the water ran, Princess looked around the room until something in the corner bookcase caught her eye. She padded over to it, thoughts swirling in disbelief as gentle fangs carefully pulled a book out. When it clattered to the ground, she stood in disbelief.

It was a story about her. A legend of a white wolf who watched over families of its choosing. Every family it protected were often those who were targeted for some reason or another. Despite this, the wolf's guardianship kept them safe. More times than not, something of ice kept them safe. Each family suspected the ice came from the wolf, but none were able to prove it.

She sat down. Princess hadn't known much about the families she chose over the last few decades - merely that she was drawn to them. It was like a call that couldn't be ignored and wouldn't go away until she followed it. She'd been drawn to the Hughes family too. Reading this somewhat explained what that draw had been.

"What's that you got there?" Hughes crouched behind her, reaching to pick up the book she'd knocked from the shelf. She watched as a nostalgic smile spread on the man's face. "This old legend, huh?"

Princess whined softly, pawing at the book and then at his foot.

"Hm?" He stared at her through his glasses, unsure of what she was trying to say. Her head tilted as she pawed again and he finally caught on. "I always liked this story as a kid; made me wonder if I'd ever see meet it."

Hughes chuckled and shook his head. " _ **You never know."**_

He stilled. This time he sighed and closed the book. He decided it was time to go back to sleep. As he walked away, fuchsia bled further into teal, overtaking half of her irises.

' _Soon.'_

* * *

A few weeks later, Princess perked up as her beast grew restless. She followed her instinct and darted out the door. White paws raced across cobblestone at inhuman speeds as they took her to the Fifth Laboratory. The sounds of metal clashing immediately warned her of the visitors there.

With a speed she hadn't used in decades, Princess jumped the fence and darted through the fighting suits of armor. She jumped into the vent and followed the scent of oil and wiring. Despite her white fur, she was able to lay low until voices alerted her to act fast.

Just before Envy could knock the blond unconscious, a blur of white attacked his arm. She sent a speeding venom of ice up his arm until he was frozen in place. Landing on the ground sent a path of ice toward Lust until it took over her form and left her both paralyzed and blind. Knowing her venom wouldn't last long, Princess dragged Edward by the sleeve out of the laboratory. A scream of rage echoed into the night and the building collapsed as it fell silent.

"You…" Ed trailed off, not believing his eyes. Once again, this dog had come to his rescue out of nowhere. When they got out and Al ran over, he couldn't stay conscious.

Hughes was called out to the collapsed remains of the Fifth Laboratory. Again, he watched in shock as his furry family member trotted beside the people carrying the elder Elric to the hospital.

This time, he took notice of her eyes. More fuchsia had leaked into her teal and he knew. He knew she was more than just a simple dog. Suddenly, his thoughts turned to the book she'd pulled out a few nights ago. Hughes adjusted his glasses as a knowing look as he followed them to the hospital. That wasn't just a coincidence.

Something told him it was more than that. Whoever or whatever Princess was, he would figure out why she was here.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hey there! I realize I don't have much for Hazuki's POV but I promise that will change in coming chapters. I really didn't want to cover her perspective until the brothers reach Dublith. But this way, there's at least a little something. Anyway, please read and review! Tell me what you think.**


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